Repetition and Oral Tradition

As contemporary readers, we understand that stories are dynamic creations, and are constantly being enhanced, altered, forgotten, and retold from person to person and through the passage of time. The Greek classics, with their mythology, dynamic heroes, expansive lore, and epic structure make them a prime example of the power and intrigue of oral tradition. Within the Odyssey, there are countless stories, settings, and characters that are woven in and may come from tradition, fact, or the mind of the author. The Trojan War is one example where fact is mixed with fiction, bringing to life the now crucial starting point of Odysseus’ journey. The effect of oral tradition is obvious to us now, yet is recognizable in the Odyssey itself. The repetition that Homer used in the story of Agamemnon and Clymanestra, seen first on lines 218-232 in book three, serves to comment on the prevalence of oral tradition at the time.
The words of King Nestor, Pylos, Menelaus, and Helen all tell a different tale stemming from a common experience. The story of betrayal serves to reflect on the plight of Telemachus, yet its repetition may also allude to the prevalence of oral tradition and the discrepancy that comes along with it. The story told by each of these characters is slightly different and affected by perspective, a trend that would have been prevalent when the Odyssey was written. The repetition that is so obvious with this particular side story reflects on the very creation of the Odyssey, an epic of undisclosed origin that draws a variety of stories and legends together to perpetuate an all-encompassing tale.